Wheat School: What is CIGI? - Discussion with Earl Geddes

[shaney]

The Canadian International Grain Institute (CIGI) does a lot of things that many farmers maybe don't know about. CIGI works hard to develop markets for Canadian products around the world. For more info go to http://www.wheatschool.com

>

[parsley]

Earl Geddes scooped up $231,396.00 in salary and benefits from the CWB in 2009, so obviously the CWB must view him as 'da bomb'.

How much farmer-money did the CWB specifically spend in marketing wheat and barley for farmers in 2009, Will you look that up for me, Shaun?

Is it enough, in your opinion?

Did the CWB do a good or bad job?

Did the FARMERS end up with more money in their pockets at the farmgate?

How many more organizations should farmers pay by one means or another,(ie salary, contract or taxes) to market wheat and barley? Pars

[shaney]

Pars, Earl doesn't work at the CWB anymore. He works at CIGI. The video is about CIGI so I'm not sure why the CWB questions. The CWB is CIGI's largest customer but I'm not sure where the questioning is going.

What do you think about the work of CIGI? By the way CIGI works in pulses and soybeans as well.

[parsley]

I am rather interested in "Marketing Wheat".

I realize Earl is no longer at the Board, goodness it was splashed on every ag paper, but I copied his salary off the CWB website to show the CWB wheat marketing experts valued him, thus his focusing on marketing wheat at a different institution was a curiosity for me.

Are you unable to answer my questions?

[shaney]

Pars I do not know how much of farmers money the CWB contributed to marketing wheat.

[parsley]

Western farmers fund the CWB in its' entirety.

The CWB is also one main funders of CIGI

So WESTERN farmers are funding:

CWB: 100%
CIGI: 50%

Farmers fund wheat in both orgabizations....huh?

Marketing wheat.

I thought you'd be quick with numbers Shaun. I'm having a little dance by myself asking about funding numbers.

I'm sure you'll like this question better since you are a communicator:

How much money does Ontario wheat marketing Board kick into CIGI?

Since you gave Earl such a friendly little intro hug, I'm sure you'll know this answer. Pars

[shaney]

Pars, CIGI does not directly market wheat as I think
you are trying to convey. CIGI provides the
research, technical support and training to the
stakeholders to enable market development. They
support the marketing efforts of line companies,
millers, processors and marketing agencies. In
essence all of this is in place to help market our
Canadian field crops globally. They do not directly
market wheat or any other field crop to the best of
my knowledge.

I am not sure how much money the GFO (grain
farmers of Ontario) contributes to CIGI but I will ask
Barry Senft next time I get a chance to talk to him.
I have done a video with him that I have not
published yet but I did not ask him that question.

Where did you get the 50% number from? I am not
sure how much the CWB provides to CIGI for
projects. I do know that CIGI is a non-profit
organization.

By the way Earl and I did not hug as you suggested.
LOL

[parsley]

I kinda get hung up on the "Who pays?"

#1. Maybe you call something like below as agronomics,or administrative duties or pooling, but I view it as a markting function (just like CWB pooling money is deducted vigorously and they place it under marketing expenses) What do you call this? :

"New CIGI/CWB program promotes prairie barley as food
Winnipeg – It’s not just for beer anymore. The Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) and the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) are co-sponsoring a new three-day course promoting western Canadian barley as a highly nutritious food ingredient. The course is being offered to domestic and international millers and food processors and will showcase quality Prairie barley for use in the emerging barley food sector.

In preparation for the course, CIGI is taking delivery of several new pieces of processing equipment worth $150,000, funded by the CWB."

unquote from CWB webpage.

I think it's about grain marketing.

#2.You questioned my 50% and I guess I have to say there are basically two funders. The CWB and Ag Canada. 2009 shows contributions from the Feds higher than the Board. I didn't take the time to look at other yars.

"Core funding for CIGI is from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the CWB. Additional funds and support are provided by other sectors of the agriculture industry."

Ag &Agri-Food Canada $ 3,484,349

Canadian Wheat Board $1,966,668

(And showing red entries in the books btw).

Yes, well.

Notice below, the CWB is also listed as industry. (at a glance, prob not incl in above?)


TECHNICAL MARKETING SUPPORT - IN KIND

2009


Industry Support

Canadian Wheat Board $ 196,000
Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre 33,500
Pulse Canada 2,000
Canola Council of Canada 1,500
Other 136,000

3.Ontario is getting help frpm CIGI:

"BIODIESEL
CIGI provides assistance to users of Canadian crops for use in biofuels
such as biodiesel. Using a portable biodiesel plant contained in an
8 x 20-foot trailer, this classroom-on-wheels has visited communities
across Ontario where CIGI has provided hands-on training and
technical support.


Biodiesel plant $60,805

Who paid? CIGI? From its' 2 core funders?

3. In 2008 the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board (OWPMB) and Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) formed a partnership to enhance the value of Ontario wheat in domestic and overseas markets. This relationship has remained strong and has continued to grow through the merger of the OWPMB with the Ontario Corn Producers’ Association and Ontario Soybean Growers into the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO).

CIGI is involved in several new and ongoing research projects aimed at improving Ontario wheat quality. One of the most important projects is the annual Ontario Wheat Quality Survey which provides regional wheat quality information to marketers during, and immediately following, winter and spring wheat harvests. Other projects such as the Ontario Wheat Arabic Bread project intend to show how Ontario soft red winter wheat can be utilized to produce traditional breads in the Middle East. As domestic demand increases and new overseas markets are identified, CIGI strives to use its technical expertise to demonstrate the quality attributes of Ontario wheat that will make it an attractive option to end users.

So, who paid? CIGI? From it's 2 core funders?


So here is Earl, squirreling out more money out of the CWB ( Western pooling accounts) to service CIGI's overspending habits.

For marketing. For projects.

That's what my farmer eyes tell me, but obviously not what you saw from his slippery executive voice.

(You've got an out there if you want to take it and run and it's this: eyes don't tell and the voice never saw.)

But the point is, Western farmers seem to be putting up a lot of cash, and I'm not so sure who else is stepping up to the funding plate. And it appears, neither do you. Pars

[parsley]

"During 2008-09, the CWB contributed $2 million to the operations of the CIGI and the CMBTC. These two
organizations play an integral role in the Corporation’s marketing and product development strategies by providing technical information and educational programs to customers"

"Other
The Corporation has agreed to fund the operations of the Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) for a base amount of $1,900 annually,
through to 2010."


From the CWB annual report


Note: 1,900 annually is 1.9MILLION, and is the base, not the top.

How soon we forget about a couplamillion, huh? Pars

[agstar77]

Do you want to A: Get rid of CIGI B: Have the Government fund more C: Have the industry fund more?

[furrowtickler]

agstar - Answer "D" fire the whole works at the CWB for a complete an udder failer of marketing Western Canadian farmers wheat over the past two years.

[agstar77]

The topic was CIGI and had nothing to do with "Udder Failure".

[hlg]

Sell the cow, no milk!! LOL

[bucket]

They might do good work but I don't see the return on investment. Our so called premium is gone. (it was never there).

If it does such good work let it stand on its own two feet.

Just another leech on the farm.

[bucket]

Another thought. Maybe since they do such a bang up job, farmers could fund them the same way I get funded.

A little bit of money now, some later and then tie it with acceptance and call levels.

Their durum work would come to a quick end.

Instead these organizations get paid before farmers do.